Bag-frame fastener.



J. HAMMESF AHR.

BAG FRAME FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED- JAN. 14, 1918.

1393,418 Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

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JULIUS HAMMESFAHR, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE R. NEUIVIANN HARDWARE (30., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BAG-FRAME FASTENER.

Application filed January 14, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS HAMMnsrAHR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bag-Frame Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and, exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked there on, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in bag-fasteners; and, the present invention has reference, more particularly, to that class of bag-fasteners employed with the hinged frame-sections of bags, suit-cases, and the like, with a View of pro Viding a novel construction of safety-catch for bag-frame sections, and. one which is simple in its construction, is positive in its action, can be readily manipulated for bringing the parts into their unlatched relation to permit of the frame-sections to be opened, but the construction of the fastener being such that the locking post of the device can be snapped or brought into its holding engagement with a latch or catch-plate, when the frame-sections are closed, without any further manipulation on the part of the operator of the parts of the bag-frame fastener.

The present invention, therefore, has for its principal objects to provide a novel and simply constructed bag-fastener of the general character hereinafter more particularly set forth, the various devices andparts of which are readily brought into their assembled relations to provide a fastener which will accomplish the results hereinabove stated.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time more particularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the followlowing detailed description of the present invention.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel bag-fastener hereinafter set forth; and, the present invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements, and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the cle- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented FebAL, 1919.

Serial No. 211,755.

tails of the construction of the said parts,

all of which will be more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to and which form an essential part of the said specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the oneend portion of a bag-frame, the frame-sections thereof being represented in their closed relation, showing also in connection therewith one of the bag-frame fasteners made according to and embodying the principles of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the devices represented in said Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the same, the fastener being shownsecuredto and in operation with the two frame-sections of the usual sewed-in or English bag-frame.

Fig. 4: is an end view of the bag-fastener, with the operating lever or lock-post manipulating element shown in its raised position, when the two frame-sections have been brought into their unlocked relation, for opening or separating the two framesections; and Fig.5 is a bottom View of the bag-frame fastener. 1

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the fastener, showing the various parts in their normal initial positions; and Fig. 7 is a similar sectional representation of the fastener, illustrating the relative positions of the parts, when the operating lever or lock-post manipulating element has been raised.

Fig. is a bottom view of the bag-frame fastener, similar to Fig. 5, but with the shell or casing closing plate omitted from said view, to show the arrangement of the mechanism within the shell or casing of the fastener.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the said above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, the reference-characters 1 and 2 indicate, respectively, portions of the two frame-sections of an English or sewed-in bag-frame, with which the fastener is to be used, although I am aware that the fastener may also be employed with other styles of bag-frames With the style of. frame here shown, the frame-section 1 is provided with the usual depending brackets 3 carrying the vertically disposed side-plate or member 4:, the frame-section 2 being likewise provided with a similar arrangement of depending brackets 5 carrying the vertically disposed side-plate or member 6. As shown more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the top-plate of the frame-section 1 is provided in the proper location with an elongated bolt or post-receiving opening, as 7, of any usual shape, and correspondingly placed and suitably secured to the side-plate or member 6 of the other frame-section 2 is the usual latch plate S, which is provided with the bolt or post-receiving opening or slot 9 and has its end-portion marginally tapered, as at 10.

The bag-frame fastener which is to be mounted upon the outer face of the top-plate of the upper or outer frame-section 1 consists, essentially, of a suitably shaped shell, casing or box comprising longitudinally extending sides 11, ends 12, and a top 13, said top bemg preferably formed with an outwardly extending T-shaped portion, as 14, thus providing in addition to the main chamber 15 of the casing or shell an aux iliary chamber, as 16, in communication with said chamber 15, as represented in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. Each end 12 is provided with an extension, as 17, providing fastening lugs which are adapted to be passed through correspondingly located slits or openings, as 18, in the top-plate of the frame-section 1 and then bent back upon the under or lower surface of said top-plate, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings for properly securing the shell or casing of the bagfastener in its position upon said topplate.

Other means of fastening, however, may be employed, if desired.

The longitudinally extending sides 11 of the said casing, shell or box are provided with oppositely disposed openings or slots, as 19, which form receiving portions in which is oscillatorily disposed a cross-bar or member 20 which is part of the previously mentioned operating lever or lock-post manipulating element. The end-portions 21 of said cross-bar or member 20 extend beyond the said sides 11 and connected with the respective end-portions 21 are two sidebars or members, as 22, said side-bars or members 22 being connected at their front end by means of an end-member or lifting bar, as 23, which is preferably provided with a suitably formed fingerpiece, as 2 1. Suitably disposed within the said shell, casing, or box of the fastener is a bottom-plate 25, said bottom-plate being provided with an elongated opening or slot 26 in such a position so that said slot 26, when the fastener is secured upon the top-plate of the framesection 1, will be located above and will register with the slot 7 in said top-plate.

Suitably mounted upon the upper surface of the said bottom-plate 25, in alinement with the previously mentioned openings or slots 19, is a cross-bar, as 27, the upper surface 23 of which provides a rest upon which the previously mentioned member 20 of the operating lever or lock-post manipulating lever is mounted and oscillates, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. As shown, the said cross-bar or member 20 is made with a suitably shaped extension or projection, as 29, the same providing a cam-member or eccentric extending, normally, in an upward direction and alongside of and parallel to an upwardly extending. engaging member or post 31 of a slide-plate 30 substantially as shown in said Fig. 6 of the drawings. This slide-plate 30 is movably disposed upon the upper surface of the bottom-plate 25, as shown, and is provided, in proper location, with a lock-post 32 which extends clownwardly from said slide-plate 30 into and through the registering slots or openings 26 and 7 and is movably disposed in said slots or openings. The said slide-plate 30 is also provided with upwardly extending guidelugs, as 33, which engage with the inner surface of the top 13 of the shell, casing, or box of the fastener, so as to maintain said slideplate 30 in its proper sliding or moving relation upon the bottom-plate, as will be evident. To maintain the said slide-plate 30 and its lock-post 32 in their normal initial positions, indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the said plate 30 is provided at its end with a finger or projection, as 3 1, for the reception thereon of the one end of a coiled compression spring 35, having its opposite end in engagement with the inner surface of the corresponding end 12 of the shell, casing or box of the fastener. Of course, it will be understood, that the said spring may be otherwise secured in its operative position, and that any other form and arrangement of spring may be employed, if desired. From an inspection of Figs. 6 and 7 it will be seen, that the combined thickness of said slideplate 30 and said guide-lugs 33 is approximately the height of the inner main chambered portion of the main shell or casing, so as to provide a suitable guide in which the said slide-plate can move, and still be maintained against distortion in an upward direction, due to the counteracting forces of the spring 35 and the cam-projection 29 acting against the post 31 of the plate 30. To enable the lock-post 32 to be brought into its locking engagement with the latch-member 8, no matter whether the said operating lever or lock-post manipulating element is in its lowered relation to the shell, casing, or box of the fastener, when the frame-sections 1 and 2 are open and it is desired to close the same, the said post 32 has its marginal edge chamfered, as at 36, so as to enable it to ride readily along the marginally tapered surface 10 of the latch 8, against the action of the spring 35, to be snapped or sprung into the slot or cut out portion 9 of the latch-plate 8, when the two frame-sections are closed, as will be clearly'understood. To open or separate the two frame-sections 1 and 2 all that is necessary is to lift or raise the operating lever or lock-postmanipulating.element so as to bring the eccentric or cam-projection 29 into the position indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the action of said projection 29 against the engaging member or post 31 of the slide-plate 30, causing the latter and its lock-post 32 to move sufliciently in the direction of the arrow it, see Fig. 7, against the action of the spring 35, and whereby the lock-post 32 is withdrawn from its locked or holding engagement with the latch-plate 8, as will be evident. The frame-sections 1 and 2 can now be opened, and by again turning the operating lever or lock-post manipulating element into its lowered position indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8, the two framesections can again be snapped into closed and locked relation, in the manner hereinabove set forth.

The manipulation and operation of the parts comprising the construction of bagframe fastener illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive will be clearly understood from the foregoing description and from an inspection of the said figures of the drawings, and need not, therefore, be further described.

Of course, I am fully aware, that changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the foregoing specification, and as defined in the clauses of the claims which are appended to the said specification. Hence, I do not limit myself to the exact arrangements and combinations of the de vices and parts as described in the said. specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. A bag-frame fastener comprising a casing providing a main chamber, said casing being formed upon its upper surface with a projection providing an auxiliary chamber in fixed relation to and in communication with said main chamber, a slide-plate movably disposed within said main chamber, said plate having an engaging element extending from said plate into the auxiliary chamber and movably disposed within said auxiliary chamber, a latch-engaging lockpost depending from said slide-plate, an actuating member comprising a cross-bar pivotally mounted within said auxiliary chamber, means connected with said cross-bar, but outside of said auxiliary chamber for oscillating said cross-bar, and means extending from said cross-bar, within said auxiliary chamber, in engagement with the engaging element of said slide-plate for operating the latter and its lock-post.

2. A bag-frame fastener comprising a casing providing a main chamber, said casing being formed upon its upper surface with a projection providing an auxiliary chamber in fixed relation to and in communica tion with said main chamber, a slide-plate movably disposed within said main chamber, said plate having an engaging element extending from said plate into the auxiliary chamber and movably disposed within said auxiliary chamber, a latch-engaging lockpost depending from said slide-plate, an actuating member comprising a cross-bar pivotally mounted within said auxiliary cham ber means connected with said cross-bar, but outside of said auxiliary chamber for oscillating said cross-bar, and a cam-pr'ojection extending from said cross-bar, within said auxiliary chamber, in engagement with the engaging element of said slideplate for operating the latter and its lock-post.

3. A bag-frame fastener comprising a casing providing a main chamber, said casing being formed upon its upper surface with a projection providing an auxiliary chamber in fixed relation to and in communication with said main chamber, the sides of said casing and said projection having open portions providing bearings, a slide-plate Inovably disposed within said main chan1- ber, said plate having an engaging element extending from said plate into the auxiliary chamber and movably disposed within said auxiliary chamber, a latch engaging lockpost depending from said slide-plate, an actuating member comprising a cross-bar extending laterally across said auxiliary chant ber, said cross-bar having its end-portions oscillatorily disposed in said bearings, means connected with and extending from the ends of said cross-bar, outside of said auxiliary chamber for oscillating said crossbar, and means extending from said cross-bar, within said auxiliary chamber, in engagement with the engaging element of said slide-plate for operating the latter and its lock-post.

4. A bag-frame fastener comprising a casing proving a main chamber, said casing being formed upon its upper surface with chamber and movably disposed Within said auxiliary chamber, a latch-engaging lockpost depending from said slide-plate, an actuating member comprising a cross-bar extending laterally across said auxiliary chamber, said cross-bar having its end-portions oscillatorily disposed in said bearings, means connected With and extending from the ends of said crossbar, outside of said auxiliary chamber for oscillating said cross-bar, and

a cam-projection extending from said crossbar, Within said auxiliary chamber, in engagement With the engaging element of said slide-plate for operating the latter and its 1ook-p0st.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of January, 1918.

JULIUS HAMMESFAHR. Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, FREDK. H. W. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents-each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

